The Tragedy Of Giles Corey In The Salem Witch Trials

Giles Corey is widely known by scholars of the Salem Witch Trials as the only accused who got pressed to death while all the others were hanged. His execution was the result of refusing to enter into a plea during the trials, which has led to much speculation about Corey and his motives for remaining silent. Was he simply a defiant old man? Or did he have a stronger motive? In this paper, I will be covering the life and the accusations of Giles Corey and speculate on why it may have been that he allowed himself to be pressed to death rather than simply entering into a plea. To start off with on the life of Corey: Not much appears to be known about Corey prior to his trial in Salem. His exact birth year is not known, but it does appear he was born in Northampton in England. In 1621, after marrying his first wife, Margaret, he joined other early American settlers in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. There does not appear to be any records of him having any part in King Philip’s war which happened during his time there. Rather, he was a farmer in Salem village. In 1676, about sixteen years prior to the trials, give or take, Corey beat his farm …show more content…
One particular occurrence that condemned Giles Corey during the hearings was when during his examination when he admitted he had told his wife he would not go to Boston with her. Corey insisted this was because he had no money, but the marshal claimed Corey had said he would not go because “[he] should come [him]self the next week” , thus allegedly predicting his own trial. Also during Corey’s trial, Samuel Parris recorded that when Corey “held his Head on one Side…then the heads of several of the afflicted were held on one side. He drew in his cheeks and the cheeks of some of the afflicted were suckt in.” Mimicry, according to the Puritans, was a sign of affliction from witchcraft. This is what led to Corey being sent to